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Thanks for the clarification re: MATS. Recently visited the Bell-Augusta site. Saw picture of military version of 139. It had pylons for ground attack rockets. Any chance ours will have this capability also?

The PwC report recommended that the number of barracks be reduced ... that has been done, and whether the Minister, or anyone else, likes it or not it makes sense for PDF barracks to be reduced further.

It was proposed that the transport fleet be drastically upgraded and MLHs be purchased in order to make the DF more deployable at home, while making up for closed barracks.

would having this capability affect ability to carry usual number of troops ,equipment etc. BTW spot the non-soldier amongst you!

Yes. All aircraft are limited by gravity. Also known as the maximum take off weight or MTOW. For every bit of extra kit,be it weapon or sensor you put in,something else must come out,be it troops,or in the case of D248, fuel.

This mistake already cost the lives of 4 good men. I doubt it'll happen again,hence we'll get aircraft fitted with equipment required to do their designed task.

Hi all
To clarify: the USCG were obliged by political pressure to fit the locally-made Lycoming engines to the Dauphin. It was not a suitable fit, to say the least. A combination of politicians and "not invented here" syndrome. Also, in the past, the Air Corps/DoD believed every word the manufacturer or their agents said and were inveigled into rigid, expensive sale/maintenance contracts that have been found, over time, to be too expensive. Thankfully, they're a bit more cynical and less naive and more inclined to argue the toss. I hope...
regards
GttC

Odds on the army buying 40-50 odd troop carrying/heavy lifters to move a light infantry battalion?

About equal to the odds on the Air Corps being transformed into an Air Force?

Take these men and women for your example.
Like them, remember that posterity can only
be for the free; that freedom is the sure
possession of those who have the
courage to defend it.
***************
Liberty is being free from the things we don't like in order to be slaves of the things we do like.
***************
If you're not ready to die for it, put the word freedom out of your vocabulary.

A Dauphin dropped Mary McAleese off at Pairc Ui Chaoimh yesterday for the Munster Hurling Final. As they are soon up for retirement, which chopper will do the job before the new ones arrive, or will there be no gap between the retirements and the new choppers arrive?

The dauphins should be retired around the same time the EC135P2s arrive,so presumably,it being the newest and shinyest,this is what will be used...Hopefully they'll get comfy with them and leave the AB139s for proper military flying...

new Indian Army light helicopter?

Although it doesn't appear to have been officially confirmed yet, reports earlier this month indicate that the Eurocopter AS550C3 Fennec has beaten the Bell 407 in the Indian Army's light helicopter competition. The deal is for 197 helicopters, costing just over €400 million, or approx. €2 million each.

The Fennec - the military version of the Ecureuil or Squirrel - is capable of day and night military operations and covers a mission spectrum from attack, antitank, reconnaissance and observation, to training, cargo, sling transport, medical evacuation, and SAR.